| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 50 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 4 to 8 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons red wine, optional (for the spicy version)
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional (for the spicy version)
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Chopped fresh basil, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan, for garnish
Instructions
- For the turkey meatballs: Add the oats to a food processor and pulse a few times. The consistency should resemble breadcrumbs. Add the oats and milk to a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Add the onions, spinach, Parmesan, salt, pepper, garlic and egg to a large bowl and mix well. Add the oat mixture and combine. Lastly, add the turkey and gently fold into the wet mixture. Keep the mixture light by not over-mixing. Form into bite-size balls using a small cookie scoop for uniform meatballs.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and repeat with the second batch, adding more oil if needed. Set the meatballs aside but reserve the Dutch oven for the sauce.
- For the quick marinara sauce: Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic to the Dutch oven and stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Gently add the browned meatballs to the sauce. Do not overcrowd. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked thoroughly, another 10 to 15 minutes. If making the optional spicy version, add the red wine and chile flakes in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with a generous pinch of salt. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
- Combine some of the sauce with the cooked spaghetti. Plate the spaghetti and meatballs and add the remaining sauce over everything. Garnish with parsley, basil and grated Parmesan. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 645 |
| Total Fat | 24 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 75 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 88 mg |
| Sodium | 835 mg |
Reviews
Ok, with all the 5 star reviews, I must have done something wrong. Followed the recipe to the letter. The meatballs were mush, horribly difficult to flip in the pan when browning, especially with a high-sided dutch oven. I was sure I would never try this again, but then we tasted them and wow, ok, I can see why all the 5 stars. These were sooo good, happy mouth! Did the wine and 1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes. I love that they’re gluten free, no breadcrumbs. So, next time I will use my big saute pan, not the dutch oven, so I can get under the meatballs to flip them without tearing them apart and getting splattered by hot oil. And I will know that even though these aren’t perfectly round meatballs, they will taste so good I really won’t care.
These were definitely a hit in my home
Perfect!! I will continue to use this recipe
Perfect!! I will continue to use this recipe
The Best!! This recipe will make you wonder why you used ground beef all the time. This is ever bit as good and my family actually prefers this over the beef…go figure!! It gets a little different when the meatballs cook and sometimes seems as if they burnt. However, I think it was just from the way everything together cooks and that burnt look is actually cooked and part of the taste. Enjoy!!
Best. Recipe. Ever. Oh my goodness I’ll never buy pre made meatballs again!!!! These are DELICIOUS!!! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!!!
This spaghetti and meatballs recipe is DELICIOUS!!! There is nothing that I would change about it — the meatballs are moist, the sauce is flavorful, it’s definitely an A+.
I must try this
This is my favorite spaghetti and meatballs recipe ever. The turkey meatballs are amazing! I made the “adult” version twice (wine + red chili flakes) and the dish was divine.
I made this recipe when it first aired on the cooking channel a year or 2 ago. Did the spicy version but without the wine. Excellent!